Process of making metallic boxes



A 2, 1932- P. R. ZINSER PROCESS OF MAKING METALLIC BOXES Filed April 9. 1928 [Ill ll Patented Aug. 2, 1932 tarts ZINSER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .ASSIG-NGR, BY MESNE ASSIGNM'ENTS, T

VIOODALL INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN PROCESS OF MAKING METALLIC BOXES Application filed April 9, 1928.

This invention relates to processes of manufacturing and producing metallic boxes, caskets, receptacles and the like, and has for its object to simplify and reduce such processes contemplating the production of seamless metallic receptacles, caskets, cases, etc., in one piece without the use of dies operating on the metal from which they are made.

lVith the above and other objects in view, 19 as will be apparent, this invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all as hereinafter'more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein.

Fig. 1 is a transverse section through the dies by which an element of the pattern for the manufacture of boxes by the present method is produced.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of an element of a pattern used in the production of a box or receptacle in accordance with the present invention. V

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the assembled pattern with a metallic box or receptacle deposited and formed therein.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken along line 44-. of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a similar section taken through the completed box or receptacle.

3c The present invention is of general application for the manufacture of seamless metallic boxes or receptacles, irrespective of their size or shape, but it is also particularly adapted for the construction of metallic caskets, which are large and cumbersome, and have been heretofore produced in sections or have been stamped from sheets, or cast. These prior methods have been extremely expensive in that they have involved a large outlay of tools, dies and patterns and have required manufacturing facilities which made the production of each individual casket expensive.

The present invention contemplates a procsj ess whereby a solid metallic casket-or receptacle can be produced in a single unit, with the resulting casket or receptacle seamless in every particular.

This is accomplished by forming a pattern te of inexpensive material, such as water-proof Serial No. 268,435.

paper, which'shall have in reverse on its inner surfaces-the design that it is desired to reproduce in the finished casket or receptacle. The interior of the pattern then has a deposit of metal placed therein by electroplating or otherwise, said deposit conforming to all of the details of the design or ornamentation on the interior of the pattern. When this electroplating deposit of metal on the interior of the pattern has attained the desired thickness, the pattern may be removed, leaving'the' deposit of metalin the shape of the pattern and having its exterior ornamented in accordance with the design or ornamentation of the pattern.

Reference being had in particularly to the drawing, Fig. l'illustrates the character of the dies used in creating the pattern which forms the basis of the present invention. Should the resulting receptacle be equilateral and have thesame ornamentation on each side only one set of dies, such as that illustrated 1nF1g. 1, is necessary. However, 1f the resulting receptacle'or box has unequal sides as'in the case of a casket one set of dies T are provided for the ends and another set of dies for the sides. This is all predicated upon the assumption that the ornamentation is uniform on each side and/or end. If,l1owever, a different design or ornamentation is present upon each side and/or end then a set of dies individual for each end or side must be produced.

In the event a circular or elliptical receptacle is desired, a single die is .used which creates a pattern from the fibrous material for the walls of the receptacle on which the plating is done as hereinafter described.

In carrying out the present invention, the male die 10 is provided for co-operation with the female die 11. These dies are made in any suitable manner, preferably after the process described in the co-pendingapplication filed simultaneously therewith. 1 The male die 10 is provided with projections 12, or other suitable irregularities on the'surface thereof for creating the design by impressing the same on the material operated. upon by the dies. These dies are designed to receive between them and form sections of fibrous material which have been treated to render them substantially water and acid proof. A material suitable for this purpose is a laminated sheet of paper impregnated with asphaltum.

After the paper or fibrous material has been treated and operated upon by the dies the sections thereof 17 and 13, which respectively represent the ends and sides of the receptacle or casket to be created, are assembled to constitute an inverted or reversed replica of the wall of the resulting receptacles with the design or ornamentation impressed on the interior thereof. A bottom 14 is then disposed below the wall composed of the sides 13 and ends 17 and the entire structure secured together by the bands 15. Thus a replica of the casket or receptacle to be produced is formed with the ornamentation or design impressed upon the inner surfaces thereof.

The joints between the sides 13, ends 17 and bottom 14 of this pattern are then sealed with asphaltum wax or o her suitable material, so that a unitary pattern structure is thereby produced, the inner surfaces of which are substantially seamless.

The complete inner surface of the pattern receptacle thus produced is sprayed with a coating 20 of lacquer or other suitable binder, containing a metallic powder, care being exercised to completely cover the entire interior surface including the interstices of the design or ornamentation.

Then this is done the pattern is deposited in an electroplating tank in such manner that suitable electrical connections are made to the coating 20 on the interior of the pattern. The electroplating process thereupon deposits copper or other suitable metals upon the interior surfaces of the pattern, which deposit of metal follows the contour of the inner surfaces of the pattern.

The thickness of the deposit of metal is, of course, determined by the time the pattern remains in the electroplating tanks. When the deposit of metal has attained the desired thickness the entire structure is removed from the tanks and the bands 15 of the pattern removed. This permits the sections 13, 14 and 17 of the pattern to be disconnected and separated from the shell deposited therein by electroplating process. This results in a receptacle 21 shown in cross-section in Fig.

L 5, which is seamless, and the outer surfaces of which have an exact reproduction 2:2 of the ornamentation created by the dies 10 and 11 illustrated in Fig. 1. The thickness and strength of the receptacle or casket thus pro- 1 duced is determined by the time the pattern is exposed to the electroplating process, and the strength thereof increases with the thickness of the walls.

Covers or lids for the receptacles thus produced may be manufactured by following exactly the same method.

After the receptacle and lid therefor have been produced any suitable interior finish or trim may be placed therein and the exterior may be buffed, polished or otherwise treated to produce a variety of finishes in appearance.

The dies may be repeatedly used to produce pattern sections, the latter being generally destroyed upon their removal from the shell 21.

What is claimed is:

The process of making metallic receptacles consisting in creating a pattern receptacle of. water-proof and acid-proof fibrous material, such as laminated paper treated with asphaltum by creating sections of the said pattern receptacle from said material and assembling said sections, coating the interior face of the pattern receptacle with a conductive coating and electroplating a metallic shell. upon the interior of said receptacle.

PAUL R. ZINSER. 

